The semiarid Mexican city of Monterrey has two major challenges with water: either there is not enough of it, or there’s far too much.Improving and fixing the area’s infrastructure could cost billions. But a US environmental organization has a far cheaper solution, and it’s getting rival corporations — like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo — to come together to pay for it.

The decision to abandon the Paris Agreement on global warming is a short-sighted mistake. There’s no doubt it will impose big costs here at home, from our leadership in the clean energy revolution to our standing on the world stage. Without support from the federal government, we can’t get there. But the good news is that we can still make significant progress.

Renewable energy created jobs nearly 17 times faster than the rest of the economy in 2016, yet a common argument against the industry is that it costs traditional energy jobs, harming more workers and families than it benefits.A new initiative in Washington is aiming to put this myth to rest by showing that renewable energy not only creates jobs, but also improves society as a whole.

“There’s this sense that the ocean isn’t a barrier but that it’s what connects us,” Aulani Wilhelm, an ocean conservationist, told Global Citizen. “Voyaging and going outward and connecting and going back and forth has always been deeply rooted.” Wilhelm is the senior vice president for the center for oceans at Conservation International. She was born and raised in Hawaii and she’s spent much of her career advocating, successfully, for the protection of the oceans.

In the Twin Cities, the Green Line shuttles thousands of Minnesotans to and from work, home, schools and shopping. But more than that, the rail service has lifted neighborhoods all along the line, spurring economic activity, new housing and cultural pride. LISC Twin Cities helped galvanize local groups to be a part of the green line’s planning, and invested $70 million for development projects along the corridor to ensure that low-income residents benefit from the new rail.

You won’t be able to drive a car that runs on gasoline or diesel in France beyond the year 2040, according to the country’s new environmental minister, Nicolas Hulot. The decision will accelerate France’s transition to a carbon-neutral society by 2050, and it continues president Emmanuel Macron’s elevation of environmental initiatives since he took office earlier this year.

Jess Phoenix has spent her scientific career descending into volcanos to study climate change. Now she’s trying to descend into Congress to figure out how to stop it. Phoenix is one in a new class of scientist-turned-politician who are running for office following the election of Donald Trump and his positions on climate change. For them, the stakes have become too high to remain politically neutral. “I was moved to step out of my work boots and into the race for Congress,” Phoenix writes on her campaign website. “Because people like Donald Trump and Steve Knight are threatening that future by destroying some of the most basic things we all agree are important.”

The Caterpillar Foundation believes that no one organization or individual can end extreme poverty. That's why we created Together.Stronger. This collaborative impact platform unites business, non-profits, governments and citizens to combine their strengths to help 50 million people rise out of poverty by 2020.

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The Caterpillar Foundation believes that no one organization or individual can end extreme poverty. That's why we created Together.Stronger. This collaborative impact platform unites business, non-profits, governments and citizens to combine their strengths to help 50 million people rise out of poverty by 2020.

FOLLOW US

Any effort made to impact society is a step in the right direction, but addressing the causes of the inequalities that make philanthropy necessary is a far greater task. #SocialImpact #ImpactInvesting #MLKDay #TogetherStronger